irloin of beef; the
footman, in his shirt and breeches, was in a corner; and Captain Belton
and his brother, with their clothes half torn-off their backs, were
seated on the bare floor, staring angrily at their assailants; while
Broughton, the butler, was in the doorway, with the candle he had
fetched held high above his head.

"My last tooth gone," roared the admiral. "You scoundrels, you shall
pay for this."

"Strake, you rascal!" cried the captain. "Broughton, is this some plot
to rob me?"

The men stared aghast, as the captain struggled up.

"Speak, you ruffians! You, John!" roared the captain, as he got his
breath again, and stood trembling with passion as he glared at the
footman.

"Beg pardon, sir," stammered the frightened servitor.

"No, don't stop for that, sir," cried his master; "tell me what the
dickens this means."

"Please, sir, I heard noises down-stairs, and I thought it was after the
plate; so I told Broughton, sir, and he sent me after the gardener,
sir."

"And then you came and attacked us," roared the admiral. "Here, I'm
half killed."

"We didn't know it was you, Sir Thomas," growled Barney.

"Then why didn't you know, you idiot?" cried the captain.

"Didn't think anybody could be down-stairs, sir," said the butler,
respectfully.

"Why didn't you show your colours, you scoundrel?" cried the admiral,
"and not come firing broadsides into your friends. Confound--I say,
Harry, my lad, just look at me."

"I'm very sorry, sir," faltered the butler.

"Hang your sorrow, sir! You've broke my watch-glass, and I can feel the
bits pricking me."

"Come to me at ten o'clock to-morrow morning, all of you," cried the
captain, fiercely, "and I'll pay you your wages, and you shall go."

"No, no, no," said the admiral; "I think we've given them as much as
they gave us, and--haw, haw, haw!" he roared, bursting into a tremendous
peal of laughter; "we didn't show our colours either. It's all right,
brother Harry; they took us for burglars--but they needn't have hit
quite so hard."

"Beg your honour's pardon, sir, sure," growled Barney.

"Beg my pardon, sir!--after planting your ugly great knees on my chest,
and then sitting on me with your heavy carcase!"

"Is anything the matter?" said a voice at the door, and Sydney made his
appearance, looking startled at the scene.

"No, no, my boy," cried his uncle, cheerily; "only your father and I
came down to get you a bit of supper, and then th